Compartmentalizing

Most of us are able to divide the various social roles we play (parent, spouse, worker, teacher, hobbyist, student, etc.) into compartments, seemingly disconnected sections, in order to focus on one issue at a time.

The brain has a natural capacity to multi-task and sort through many areas of focus. Male brains, in particular, tend to be coded for organization and compartmentalizing, allowing focus even in the midst of distracting stimuli. In general, women problem-solve using more regions of the brain, perhaps because the axonal fibers [the corpus callosum] that connect the two hemispheres of female brains are thicker than those in average male brains.

Unhealthy compartmentalization is a form of rationalizing destructive or amoral behavior which separates this behavior into a “compartment” and disconnects it from the rest of an individual’s life, to avoid the discomfort of cognitive dissonance and to maintain a cohesive thought system.

Hannah Arendt’s remark that “Evil is banal” is apropos. Many otherwise decent citizens, who love their families, enjoy nature, listen to music, and walk the dogs, can also work as torturers or ruthless executives. Good people can commit atrocities in the fog of war, {See Zimbardo]

Group collusion (closing ranks)

Loyal colleagues may protect an incompetent physician, a judge or a corrupt politician. There have been several noted cases whereby police brutality suspects and pedophile priests have been shielded from accountability by their cohorts and superiors. Other examples include senior citizens lobbying to fight laws intended to protect the public from incompetent drivers, and military officials covering up scandals in their ranks. In abusive homes, family members collude to protect the batterer and to maintain family secrets.

Universalizing or generalizing (See Stereotyping; prejudice)

A negative reaction toward a member of a group can become a prejudice extended to encompass all the members of that group. For example, a person attacked by an individual of a particular ethnicity may subsequently view all members of that ethnic group as a threat.

Traumatic or intense events may imprint a strong and narrowly categorized knee-jerk response. And reminders of the trauma can rekindle feelings of helplessness and injustice.